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In our previous lesson, we learned that the Great Red Dragon is the Serpent, the Devil, Satan, Lucifer, and several other names. We also learned that he has unleashed a relentless war against God’s kingdom as well as the living saints. But most of all, we learned that his greatest plan is to get people to break just one of God’s laws for in so doing, he then has claim to their souls. How successful is Satan’s plan? Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." 1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Seeing then that Satan can rightfully claim each person as his own, all of us should be doomed. Why? Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin [is] death." But wait! There was a promise made a few thousand years ago that will give each of us hope.

Genesis 3:14-15 "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." The Seed of the woman would create enmity between mankind and Satan. Satan would strike with a small wound (heel) while the Seed of the woman would give a fatal blow (head).

Revelation 12:1-5 "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne." Here we see the two that God addressed in the garden of Eden: The woman and Satan. The woman is pregnant. Satan along with a third of the angels [identified in our previous lesson] tries to kill the Seed of the woman right at birth but is unsuccessful. Instead, the child eventually ascends to God and is at His throne. It is this Seed that provides the opportunity for all to escape the death that each one of us deserves.

Those who have studied their Bibles before or have had a Christian experience probably already know who the Seed is, but instead of just stating the fact, let us allow the Bible to tell all of us who it is and see, through this exercise, how the Bible is it’s own interpreter.

From Revelation 12:1-5, we are given key points to identify the Seed of the woman:

1. There is an attempt to kill the child at birth.
2. The child is to be a ruler.
3. The child would ascend to God.
4. The child would be at God’s throne.

Focusing on the first point, was there an attempt to kill a child at birth? According to the Bible, several children fall into this category, but for the sake of time, we will focus on one particular child for there is only one that does fill all four points. Matthew 2:13-16 "And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men." As we see, just as recorded in Revelation, the child would escape Satan’s attempt to kill him at birth.

Looking at the second point, was there a child that was destined to be ruler? Yes, several, but again, we will only look at the one child who fills all four points. Matthew 2:4-6 "And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel."

The third item to fulfill is that of ascending to God. The Bible specifically identifies only four who ascended to heaven, but only one is specifically identified as ascending to God the Father. Where is this recorded? John 20:17 "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God."

The fourth and final item to fulfill is that of being at the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

So clearly it is Jesus Christ who is the Seed of the woman.

In Genesis 3:15, it is stated that Satan "shalt bruise his heel," which refers to Jesus. How did Satan accomplish this? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." Though death seems more severe than a mere bruise to the heel, death to Jesus Christ was only temporary for the grave was unable to retain Him.

On the opposite side of the controversy, however, according to Genesis 3:15, Jesus was to strike at Satan’s head which is a severe and even deadly bruise. Does the scriptures support such a victory by Jesus? Hebrews 2:14 "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Jesus Christ died on the cross without committing a single sin. Had Jesus committed just one sin, Satan would have been the victor. As it stands, Satan is a defeated foe. The only reason Satan still exists is for the sake of mankind. As we will study later, at the second coming of Jesus Christ, there will only be two groups – saved and lost. Time is just playing out, leading up to the two divisions for even today there are too many on the fence. Events however, are fast fulfilling, polarizing people to either class at an unprecedented pace. Details of such will be discussed in later lessons.

Hebrews 7:22 "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." Surety is defined by Webster as: 1) Something that makes sure or gives assurance as against loss, damage, or default security guarantee; 2) Person who takes responsibility for another; 3) One who accepts liability for another’s debts, defaults of obligations, etc. The Bible in the following example supports this understanding. Genesis 43:8-9 "And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever." Judah was offering his life in place of failing to bring his brother Benjamin back alive. He accepted the responsibility, the liability, the surety for Benjamin. In the same manner, Jesus is our surety in that He accepts the liability for the debt that we have incurred. We have nothing of ourselves to offer God the Father for the sins we have committed. Some people go as far as to think that if they do not commit another sin and do wonderful works for God’s sake that they may enter into the presence of God without any assistance, but they fail to realize that the lack of sinning for the rest of their lives and good works do not make up for even one sin that has already been committed. Something or someone still has to pay that debt for God wants us to be perfect (2 Corinthians 13:11). This is where Jesus comes in. He alone provides the surety for everyone, which God the Father has chosen to accept. Colossians 1:19-22 "For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." Further, Jesus also provides something else. Alone, it is impossible to lead a sinless life no matter the determination, but through Jesus Christ, it is possible (Hebrews 11:6).

The benefit that the Seed of the woman provides is summarized in John 3:15-17, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Now Satan knew that this Surety would be provided. It is called God’s plan of salvation (Acts 4:12). This drew an intense attack from Satan upon Jesus because if Satan could tempt Jesus to sin just once, Jesus would not be able to be the Surety. Satan was relentless with the temptations. Even today we sense Satan’s strong temptations, but we are not going through them alone. Hebrews 4:14-15 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin." Jesus felt at least every feeling that we feel and went through the points of temptation as we do. You see, all temptation falls into three categories. 1 John 2:16 "For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Jesus was tempted in all three areas even more severe than we are.

Does the Bible record the battle between Jesus and Satan over these points of temptation? Matthew 4:1-4 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Exactly where the fall of man began, Jesus went over the same ground. The lust of the flesh, that is the area of cravings or strong desires had to be overcome if Jesus were to gain the ultimate victory. Each of us also need to overcome these tendencies if we want the victory. This includes appetite, sensual desires, and much more.

Matthew 4:5-7 "Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Here we see the attack using the pride of life, that is to prove ones position or ability so as to look good in the eyes of others. Jesus knew earthly recognition is short lived. He also stated, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me"(John 6:38). The same holds true of us. We are not on earth to occupy space and time, but each of us has a purpose to fulfill. Each of us is here to do the will of God. Mark 3:35 "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." Even though Satan was right that God would send His angels to protect Jesus, Jesus knew that presumption is a sin. Numbers 15:30 "But the soul that doeth [ought] presumptuously, [whether he be] born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people."

Matthew 4:8-11 "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." The lust of the eyes, which is to see things that would alter the godly course one has been placed on earth to perform. Jesus’ mission was to live a sinless life and die on the cross for all humanity. Taking this offer would have been to turn from God’s way and serve self. Self is never the motive that we are to test our duty with. This is why Luke 9:23 says to "deny himself."

Note that in each temptation, Satan used scripture and yet was defeated by scripture. There is a promise provided that we can battle Satan with. James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

The first response of Jesus was "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). This is very important. Every way of Jesus was backed up by the scriptures. Can the same be said of us? Are we living by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God or just a portion?

The second response of Jesus was "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Again scripture is used to combat Satan – not a church teaching and not an opinion. And again, can the same be said of us or are we tempting the Lord by walking as close as possible to the world and yet hoping we are still saved?

The third response of Jesus was "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Who are we worshipping? God or Satan? God or self?

Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Everyone born to this world is born lost as recorded in Matthew 12:30, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." There are only two sides, those that are with Jesus Christ are saved; those that are not with Him are automatically classed as against Him. Jesus came to seek all those that are lost in the ways of Satan.

Now if everybody is automatically classed against Jesus, why does God not just destroy this world? Luke 9:56 "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]." God created each one of us and each is precious in His sight. His goal is to bring back the lost under His camp.

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Satan’s ways lead to death while the way of Christ is eternal life. You have a choice between life and death. Which will you choose?

Does Jesus use aggressive means? Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The way of Jesus is gentle though He is tough on sin. Revelation 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." To illustrate the way of God in comparison to Satan, Jesus made a significant statement while on earth. John 10:27-29 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand." Every moment of every day, when we follow His voice as sheep, the promise is that no one can take us out of His hands. However, even Christians for a moment can choose to go astray in thoughts or actions and then find themselves in a desperate situation. Sheep are lead, which is what Jesus, the Shepherd, does. In His earthly form, He demonstrated the right way to follow. He also declared this. John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." The life of Jesus is the only example we need. 1 John 2:6 "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." Yes, Christ died for everyone, unfortunately though, not all appreciate what Christ has done and reject His free gift.

How does one reject the gift of eternal life? The verse tells us that if we live not to ourselves, we are accepting the free gift, which means that the opposite is true. If we live to self, then we reject the free gift. This is what Christ taught. Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

In addition, the Bible states plainly the condition of accepting the free gift. Hebrews 5:9 "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." It is one thing to say and sing about what God has done and is doing, but it is another thing to demonstrate it by action. The underlying principle comes down to which side will we choose. Romans 6:16 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" People, including Christians who think they are saved, who do not live according to every word of God are actually disobeying God and showing themselves to be servants of sin which is of Satan. Those that choose to live by every word of God are choosing Christ’s side.

You see, God puts before us two roads. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." One way allows the indulgence in anything our heart desires to gain pleasure, title, economic status, educational level, etc., but the future is destruction. The other way appears more restrictive for it eliminates that which is harmful with the future being eternal life free from sin.

Speaking of the more restrictive way, "the LORD God [is] a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psalms 84:11). We may not always see the danger and even ask, "What’s wrong with this?" Trusting that God knows what it will lead to, we should leave it off for our salvation sake.

With the two ways before us, unlike Satan who tries every method of force to get us to choose his way, God simply asks, via servants such as Joshua, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). Who will we serve? Elijah asked the same question in a different manner. 1 Kings 18:21 "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word."

In our previous lesson, we saw potential victories for Satan. Now, let us re-examine each of the battles and see who really won.

The first battle we looked at was Adam and Eve in the garden who was beguiled by Satan to eat the forbidden fruit. It is true that mankind was never to know what sin (evil) was. This is why God labeled the forbidden tree as noted in Genesis 2:9, "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, God had the right to destroy them on the spot and Satan would have had total victory, but God made provision to gain the ultimate victory which also reveals His true character "for God is Love" (1 John 4:8). The provision is found in 1 Corinthians 15:22, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Just as Adam in the one act of disobedience handed Satan what looked like a permanent victory, Christ leading a sinless and perfect life defeated Satan and has gained the victory. This is declared in 1 Corinthians 15:57, "But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

The next battle we looked at was with Cain and Abel. Cain, who represented Satan’s side, killed Abel, who represented Christ’s side. Satan appeared to have the victory by killing a righteous man, but he forgot the blessing pronounced on all that die while obeying God. Revelation 14:13 "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." You see, Satan loses every time a godly person dies because when someone that is godly dies, Satan can not touch that soul ever again. That soul is sealed for Christ. The victory is Christ’s and not Satan’s.

The third battle was in the days of Noah. It looked like the whole world would be on Satan’s side if he could just get eight more souls – Noah, his three sons, and all four wives. But God intervened. Matthew 24:37-39 "But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." God preserved the eight faithful ones by sending a flood, but one may wonder about the rest of those souls because all of them are now sealed for the side of Satan. On an individual basis, it is true that God lost those souls and Satan won them, but on a global basis, Satan was defeated once again. God has one advantage that no one else can compare to. Isaiah 46:9-10 "Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." God alone knows the beginning from the end which means He knows if time were to play out, who would choose to be saved and who would choose to be lost. So the intervention of God via the flood, though it seemed to be a drastic measure, was a merciful answer to what the rebellious were doing to themselves and what it would lead to. God was the victor in preventing Satan from having full control of all the inhabitants.

The fourth battle we covered in the last lesson dealt with Korah and a band of well-known ministers and church leaders that stood in rebellion to Moses. If this rebellion were to continue, it would have eventually destroyed the Israelites. God could not permit this to happen. Just like the flood, God had to deal justly with these people. After God gave evidence of His choice for Moses to be the leader and His displeasure with Korah and gang, and after ample opportunity for repentance was provided, God had to carry out justice. Numbers 16:32-33 "And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods. They, and all that [appertained] to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation." Many see these acts as from an angry God, and since the cross, God seems to be more loving as if God is temperamental. Try telling this to Ananias and Sapphira who were struck dead and fell at Peter’s feet for reneging on an offering (Acts 5:1-11). Besides, this would contradict Malachi 3:6, "For I [am] the LORD, I change not." God just cannot let sin run rampant. There are times that His hand has to move. In addition, as recorded even in the Old Testament, we see what God really thinks about these acts that He must perform. Ezekiel 18:23, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return from his ways, and live?" Although God’s hand was moved to destroy the wicked, the spiritual errors of Korah were checked and Satan lost once again in his quest to gain all on his side.

The fifth battle was that of the acts occurring in Moab. Right on the verge of entering into the Promised Land, Satan drew many of the Israelites away into worldly pleasures. God’s response once again was the same – give opportunity for repentance and then bring upon the rebellious immediate death. Numbers 25:5-9 "And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw [it], he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand." You see many think that it is loving to allow people to continue in their sins so as not to create any friction. There is also a theory that people will automatically turn from their sins as they fellowship with godly people. What reality reveals is that the congregation becomes converted to the world instead. Now this does not mean that one must be perfect to enter a church or even to come to Christ "For if there be first a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to that a man hath, [and] not according to that he hath not" (2 Corinthians 8:12). If you are willing to allow Christ to cleanse you, He makes a promise. Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ." In addition, God gives each of us ample time to allow this work to occur. Numbers 14:18 "The LORD [is] longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation]." He does not kill someone on the spot for disobeying nor should long time church members be ready to condemn the moment a new believer acts or says something out of line especially in ignorance. God gives time to repent and after time has expired, He removes it. Again, victory, though not as sweet as can be, is God’s because He prevented the worldly pleasures presented by Satan from contaminating all of the Israelites.

The sixth battle that we looked at was concerning Daniel’s diet. Daniel chose the way God commanded even though it could have offended the king. To show that Daniel’s belief in God’s way was superior than man’s way, a ten-day test was proposed. What was the result? Daniel 1:15-20 "And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse [vegetables]. As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm." Victory once again was taken from Satan. If we put our faith in God, His way will win out in the end. The unfortunate situation is that too many expect God’s way to be quick, but that is not necessarily His way. This is why Jesus said what He did in Matthew 10:22, "And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."

Shortly there after, Satan tried again to snatch the victory, this time with three of Daniel’s friends. Daniel was not present and Satan saw this as a perfect time to act seeing the backbone of the group was missing. Because the three Hebrew boys would not bow down to the golden image that was set up, they would be cast into the furnace to be burned. Even the men that cast those boys into the furnace died from the intense heat. Daniel 3:22 "Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." What was the result of Satan’s attempt to remove his opposition? Daniel 3:24-29 "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. [Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort." Satan’s ploy backfired big time! The true God was revealed to all representatives of every nation on earth that day.

The next battle came as a decree. All were forbidden to pray to any other than King Darius for a period of thirty days with the threat of being fed to the lions. Daniel, not compromising in serving God, was thrown into the pit of lions. Again, apparent victory for Satan, but what was God’s response? Daniel 6:20-22 "And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." When death of a godly person would serve no purpose, God may preserve that person.

Being godly however does not guarantee one will not see death at the hands of the ungodly although God still has the victory. Acts 7:51-60 "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it]. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with [their] teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast [him] out of the city, and stoned [him]: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [God], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." This was the beginning of the persecution of Christians in Jerusalem and in all of Israel forcing the Christians to flee into the Gentile country. God used this incident to mark the beginning of the gospel going to the Gentiles.

The last battle we looked at in the previous lesson was the temptations Satan used against Jesus. They continued all the way to the cross for Satan wanted to taint the sacrifice of Christ. One wrong thought, one sinful act and the sacrifice would have been impure and unacceptable. As we already found out, Christ was the perfect offering. Praise the Lord!

Over the centuries, Satan has done his best to resist the forward movement of God’s plans. God however, overrules every apparent victory of Satan. Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose." We never know when, where, and how we will be tempted of Satan, but this we do know, we have been given armor to stand up to whatever Satan dishes out. The question is, are we willing to wear it and use it?

What is that armor? Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

Malachi 4:5 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD." Just as Jesus confirmed that John the Baptist was preaching in the Spirit of Elijah in regards to the first appearance of Christ (Mark 9:12-13), in the last days, the same spirit will be evident prior to the second coming.

What will be preached in the Spirit of Elijah? Revelation 14:6-12 "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." The remainder of our studies will examine in great detail these warning messages that are to be preached prior to the second coming.

Are we sure these messages precede the second coming? This is answered by continuing with Revelation 14:14, "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." This is a symbolic representation of the second coming.

And as we have read already, God being longsuffering, that is patient, He will permit this message to be preached as in the days of Noah. How long did he preach? Genesis 6:3 "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." So this warning will have ample time to reach every soul, but as we learned in the first two lessons, time is running out.

Luke 1:31-33 "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

May God bless you, protect you, and reveal His love to you.¤